The Indie Thread

[white_frog914]

anyone have any opinions on "The Woods" by Sleater Kinney? I was in a sleater kinney phase for a while several years ago... then I realized I didn't really care if I never listened to One Beat again. But on a whim I picked up "The Woods" used a month or two ago and yowza! it's pretty damn fine.

I've only listened to it about 3 times...but I REALLY love The Fox.

The Woods will definitely be in my Top Ten.

 

[nadroj1985]

These are the ones I've really loved so far this year (in no particular order)

Sufjan Stevens- Illinois
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah- s/t
Andrew Bird- Mysterious Production of Eggs
Bonnie "Prince" Billy- Superwolf
Bloc Party- Silent Alarm
Caribou- The Milk of Human Kindness
Eels- Blinking Lights and Other Revelations
Okkervil River- Black Sheep Boy
Page France- Hello, Dear Wind
Sigur Ros- Takk...

 

[philN]

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah is another one of those albums that I enjoy less and less the more I listen. That and Wolf Parade.

 

[philN]

For the record, I just got back from seeing the Go! Team and it was amazing. My ears are still ringing, my heart is still pounding, and I think I still have the ridiculous smile on my face that first appeared the moment they started playing Ladyflash for the grand finale. I almost wet myself.

My friend and I were there three hours early, so we went in and heard them doing their soundcheck and since we were first in line for a standing room show we were right up next to the stage. The opening act was a rap duo that I forget the name of, they weren't too bad, but they weren't too great. The second opener was the Grates, who are an Australian band that sounds exactly like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs (and the singer acts just like Karen O). Then the Go! Team played. I was so close I had to duck out of the way of the guitar a few times when the one guy was playing (he was going nuts). The bassist also spilled his beer on me, and I was close enough to grab the setlist after the show. It was insane. They are so tight live. And while they may sound better in the studio, there was so much energy in the room and everyone was just dancing and having a great time. It was probably one of the most fun concerts I've been to in a long time.

 

[philN]

Right now, I'm going through Ween. I'm only halfway through Pure Guava, but it is exceptional!

Yes! More people need to listen to Ween.

the Mollusk is one of my favorite albums of all time. I tried to give you three albums that gave you a sample of their sound, but each album is completely different. Their first albums sounds like a garage band just screaming and covering Prince and having fun (and it has become a sort of cult classic [Pitchfork gave the re-relase a 9.6, I believe]). Then they have two albums that have that Pure Guava sort of sound. Then there's The Mollusk, which I can't really describe. Then there's a country record, and White Pepper, which has a heavy Beatles influence, and Quebec, which is more singer-songwritery. Plus they have lots of live stuff which is all really tight.

I put my current three favorite Ween albums on there for you, but honestly, just about everything they touch is pretty decent.

 

[white_frog914]

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah is another one of those albums that I enjoy less and less the more I listen.

I really only enjoy the first and last songs on the album...the rest are kinda...meh.

 

[nadroj1985]

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah is another one of those albums that I enjoy less and less the more I listen.

It's been the exact opposite for me. It's probably the most pure fun I've had listening to an album all year.

 

[blackwasp]

Yes! More people need to listen to Ween.

the Mollusk is one of my favorite albums of all time. I tried to give you three albums that gave you a sample of their sound, but each album is completely different. Their first albums sounds like a garage band just screaming and covering Prince and having fun (and it has become a sort of cult classic [Pitchfork gave the re-relase a 9.6, I believe]). Then they have two albums that have that Pure Guava sort of sound. Then there's The Mollusk, which I can't really describe. Then there's a country record, and White Pepper, which has a heavy Beatles influence, and Quebec, which is more singer-songwritery. Plus they have lots of live stuff which is all really tight.

I put my current three favorite Ween albums on there for you, but honestly, just about everything they touch is pretty decent.

Yeah, sometime this weekend I plan on filling out my Ween collection. The Mollusk is my favorite of the three you sent me, but they're all good. Come to think of it, after a couple listens, I'd have to say that The Mollusk is one of my top ten albums of all time.

I'm listening to "Pimpin' 4 the Man" right now, and it sounds like The White Stripes stole that melody (albeit more polished) for "Little Ghost". Not that it was intentional, but there are similarities.

 

[blackwasp]

I just finished listening to You Could Have It So Much Better With Franz Ferdinand, and I'm not really impressed. I don't think it's as good as their debut, which I thought was incredibly overhyped as well.

 

[philN]

Yeah. It's alright. Nothing really amazing, but not terribly bad. Just a decent indie rock album.

 

[The Theory]

Yet why listen to that* when you could be listening to any number of amazing albums?

*and this applies equally well to many bands listed at various points in this thread, including but not limited to, Death Cab for Cutie, Sigur Ros, The Postal Service, Modest Mouse (sorry), and so forth.

 

[philN]

Part of it comes down to personal taste.

My roommate's favorite band is Sigur Ros. For him, he gets far more pleasure out of listening to them than another band that may objectively be better.

Sometimes I'm in the mood for something simple and catchy like the Postal Service. And sure there may be some indie bands that are better than Modest Mouse, but I think Isaac Brock has some great lyrics and they also have a sound that I find pretty appealing.

There are always going to be albums that are better than the one's that you enjoy. But so long as you enjoy an album, why not listen to it?

 

[white_frog914]

Yeah. It's alright. Nothing really amazing, but not terribly bad. Just a decent indie rock album.

See...I thought it was brilliant. The songs were so much more deeper and more open than the first album. While the first album mostly focused on sex and lust, the sophomore mostly focuses on the aftermaths of relationships.

Plus I think 'Eleanor Put Your Boots Back On' is one of the best songs they've ever written.

 

[brightlights]

It's seems I'm always coming back to Elliott Smith. He's my hinge.

 

[blackwasp]

Yeah, nothing against Franz Ferdinand, it just doesn't really mesh with my personal tastes. I did notice "Eleanor, Put Your Boots Back On" (b/c I think you'd mentioned it earlier, Froggy), and thought it was a pretty good song. I guess I like the debut a little more because it's a little more focused on the melody, although I've only listened to the new one once through.

 

[white_frog914]

Definitely give it another go around I say, 'This Boy' is also a really good song.

 

[blackwasp]

*and this applies equally well to many bands listed at various points in this thread, including but not limited to, Death Cab for Cutie, Sigur Ros, The Postal Service, Modest Mouse (sorry), and so forth.

There are times when there's nothing I'd rather listen to than Agaetis Byrjun. As for Modest Mouse, I think Lonesome Crowded West and The Moon and Antarctica speak for themselves. I'm not going to try to claim that Mouse is "better" than Radiohead, or a band like that, but for me personally, I get more out of their music than any other band.

 

[brightlights]

There are times when there's nothing I'd rather listen to than Agaetis Byrjun. As for Modest Mouse, I think Lonesome Crowded West and The Moon and Antarctica speak for themselves. I'm not going to try to claim that Mouse is "better" than Radiohead, or a band like that, but for me personally, I get more out of their music than any other band.

There's something to be said about Lonesome Crowded West. It has a sound unlike any other indie stuff I've heard. It's hard to listen to but great.

 

[white_frog914]

Lonesome Crowded West has yet to grow on me (Except Styrofoam Boots) but I do love The Moon & Antartica.

Have you guys heard about Mark Kozelek doing the CD of MM covers? I could upload a song or two if you'd like.

 

[blackwasp]

Lonesome Crowded West has yet to grow on me (Except Styrofoam Boots) but I do love The Moon & Antartica.

The Moon and Antarctica is deeper lyrically (on the whole), IMO. Then again, how many better lines have been written than this?:

Well I'll go to college, and I'll learn some big words,
And I'll talk really loud, Goddam right I'll be heard,
You'll remember the guys who said all those big words,
They must've learned in college.

Have you guys heard about Mark Kozelek doing the CD of MM covers? I could upload a song or two if you'd like.

I read on pitchfork a while back that he was doing it, but haven't actually listened to it. If you would be so kind as to send it, I'd be mucho happy!

I do have the Iron Horse Bluegrass tribute to Modest Mouse, though. I don't think he put a lot into it, and he had the gall to censor the lyrics, but I get a kick out of it.